Album review: Clive Tanaka y su Orquesta, 'Jet Set Siempre No. 1'
3.5 stars (out of 4)
Shrouded in self-imposed mystery, Clive Tanaka has quietly invaded the dance-music underground with an eight-song release, “Jet Set Siempre No. 1,” originally available only on cassette through his Web site (clivetanaka.jp). Beyond the conversation-starting format, Tanaka supplies expertly sculpted electronic music that suggests a fusion of ‘70s disco and early ‘80s electro-funk with chilled futuristic touches.
The cassette, now available digitally, is conveniently divided into two mood-setting sections: “For Dance” and “For Romance.” Side 1 comes off as less strident than gently insistent on headphones, and the hooks come from all angles – a splash of guitar, handclaps, a lead bass line on “Brack Lain” and what sound like steel drums on “Neu Chicago.” This is dance music, alright, but it’s also deceptively simple, warmly melodic and easy to absorb even if you aren’t shaking your hips.
The craftsmanship behind the songs is equally meticulous on Side 2, where an upright bass line and gently strummed guitar create a hypnotic swirl of Brazilian-beach imagery on “Skinjob,” even as keyboard lines snake into space. Tanaka sneaks in sonic signifiers for records that may have influenced him -- Gary Wright’s ascending synthesizer patterns, Zapp’s playful Vocoder vocals, sleigh bells from Esquivel’s Christmas record – but this isn’t just a mishmash of beats and obvious samples. The level of composition and attention to detail put it several cuts above most of the bedroom chill-wave recordings of the last two years.
greg@gregkot.com